Judge rules against activist in St. Louis shelter case

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A federal judge has tossed out an activist's lawsuit that sought to keep St. Louis from revoking an occupancy permit for his shelter for homeless people.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports U.S. District Judge John Ross dismissed on Tuesday the lawsuit filed in March by the Rev. Larry Rice's New Life Evangelistic Center.

The city has said it will shutter the downtown shelter unless it abides by the permit, which allows no more than 32 people to be housed there overnight. The shelter often accommodates more than 200 people.

The shelter has drawn complaints about crime and nuisance activities from people who work and live nearby. Rice counters that without New Life, many people will have no place to turn.